Lifting device for sliding doors



March 18, 1947.-.- F, D|TCHF|ELD 2,417,471

LIFTING DEVICE FOR sLIDING DOORS Filed Dec. 3l, 1943 falllliv Patented Mar. 18, 1947' 2,417,471 LlFTNG DEVICE FOR SLEDBNG DOORS Frank Ditchield,

The Youngstown Cleveland, Ohio, assigner to Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 31, 1943, Serial No. 516,331 11 Claims. (Cl. 16-99) This invention relates to lifting devices for sliding doors.

It is an object of this invention to provide liftting devices for sliding doors which shall be economical and designed for application to the structures upon which the sliding doors are mounted.

A further object is' to provide door lifting devices applicable to railway cars of varying widths Without encroaching upon the tunnel clearance lines.

A further object is to provide lifting devices for sliding doors embodying balls adapted to support the doors for opening and closing movements.

A further object is to provide lifting devices for sliding doors which shall embody supporting balls and a track substantially. shorter than the usual track for sliding doors.

A further object is to provide lifting devices for sliding doors which shall embody supporting balls and a track supported from the structures upon which the doors are mounted by substantially fewer brackets than are usually employed.

A further object is to provide lifting devices for sliding doors embodying anti-friction supporting means which shall normally be disengaged from the doors and movable upward to engage and lift the doors and support them for easy rolling movement.

It is a further object to provide lifting devices for sliding doors embodying balls and tracks upon which the balls are adapted to roll, wherein the balls are normally disengaged from the doors and the tracks are movable upward to engage the balls with and raise the doors,

A further object is to provide lifting devices of the character set forth immediately above wherein the doors and the tracks cooperate to maintain the balls in pre-determined positions when the doors are open and closed.

A further object is to provide lifting devices for normally frictionally supported doors embodying anti-friction means disengaged from the doors when the latter are frictionally supported and engaged with the doors to lift and support portions of a railway house car, a, sliding door standing leg i9 them above their frictional support for rolling movement, the frictional support for the doors being independent of the support for the antifrictionmeans and cooperating with the doors to provide effective sealing means.

Other 'objects of clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating the invention vwill become f mounted thereon and a lifting device embodying the instant invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 but showing the door in raised position.

Fig. l is a vertical section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the brackets and rollers utilized in the instant invention.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of one of the brackets and rollers of the instant invention and a portion of a track supported by the bracket, a part of the track being broken away in order to more clearly illustrate the construction thereof.

Referring to the drawing,Y the preferred ernbodiment of the invention illustrated is shown applied tov a railway house car whose underframe embodies an angle side sill I0 reinforced by means of a bulb angle II whose horizontal leg l2 is secured in any desired manner to the horizontal leg I 3 of the side sill. A door opening is provided in the side M of the car and is delned'in part by means of the front door post I5 and the rear door post I t. The floor of the car is shown at Il and is adapted to be supported upon the horizontal leg i3 of the side sill as more clearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. A threshold plate I 8 lies upon the floor I1 and extends outwardly therefrom and across the upof the side sill to the outer face of the front and rear door posts. The threshold plate I8 is flanged as indicated at 20 and is supported beyond the side sill within the d-oor opening -by means of a channel-shaped member 2| whose web 22v issecured as by means of rivets 23 to the upstanding leg I9 of the side sill. The upper horizontal leg 24 of the threshold support is disposed within the space provided by the return flange 2i) of the threshold plate I3 in abutment with the threshold plate. The lower horizontal leg 25 is so disposed as to function in 'a manner hereinafter described.

The lifting device of the instant invention embodies a plurality of spaced brackets 26. As clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the instant invention permits the use of only four brackets, a number which is substantially fewer than the seven brackets customarily required for lifting devices of other designs. As shown, the brackets are preferably constructed of plates; Each bracket comprises an cuter substantially channel-shaped plate member having an outwardly disposed web 21 and inwardly directed bracket member reinforcing member andthe leg 63, flange '54 provide ya 'runway on 'the 53. StopV members '68 vand walls 23 and 29. wardly in opposite directions to provide attaching flanges 33 and 3l by means of which the bracket is secured lto the side sill reinforcement il as by means of rivets 32 and 33. Each bracket includes an inner substantially channel-shaped plate member 34 having a web 35 spaced inwardly from the web 21 and inwardly directed flanges t and 31 secured as by means of rivets 38 and 3E! to the inwardly directed Walls 28 and 29 ofr the 25. `A roller 40 is disposed within the space between the webs 21 and 35 and is These walls are turned out-V rotatably supported by means of a pin di fas,-

tened in said webs. Y

The brackets 26 are adapted to support a track 2 which, as more clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, is channel shaped in section. The track l2 embodies a web 43 disposed upon the rollers 49 which extend above and below the webs 21 land 35 of the brackets and inner and outer legs 4t and d5 which lie on opposite sides of the rollers. Secured to the underside of the web 43 of the track adjacent to each of the rollers l0 of the brackets are a plurality of members le the forward ends ll'ifof which are wedge-shaped for a purpose which will hereinafter appear. It

is to be observed that the track terminates a sub- V stantiai distance fromY the front stop i8 Vofthe door and from the tially shorter than the track Yemployed with liftA ing devices of other designs. Stop members iii! and 5i are secured to and extend upwardly above the track adjacent to the ends thereof, Vas more clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The track t2 supports a plurality of balls 52 and 53 maintained in spaced relationship by means of a ball carriage 54. It is'preferred that the ball .52 be disposed somewhat less than half port is obtained supported in their lowered position.V Such sup-y by the instant invention, as more Y clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, by means of the stem'l ofthe Tshaped reinforcing member e5 which rests upon the lower leg 25V of the channel threshold plate support. Moreover, the described association between the elements ill and '25 provides an efcient seal for the bottom of the door, thereby preventing the ingress` of Y,

rain, snow, dust, cinders and the like, into the` car.

With further reference to Fig. 2 of the drawings,

it is to be observed that the frictional support of the door upon the threshold plate support pobackfstop 49 and is substan- V the width of the door, which the balls are adapted to support,` from the rearedge thereof when the door is closed so that free rolling movement of the door will be obtained throughout its entire travel.

A slidingdoor is shown lassociated with the lifting device of the instant invention. This door mayibe .of any'desired construction but as illustrated embodies a metallic panel Vreinforced by means of a plurality of horizontal corrugations 5'0" lwhich merge at their ends into vertical corrugationsV 51 and 55. Along its lower marginthe door is reinforced by means of a Z-shaped member 59 whose upstanding by and secured to the panel 55 as by means of rivets di. The web 5210i the Z-shaped reinforcing member extends outwardly from the leg 6B.

, The `outer 'leg 'of the Zshaped reinforcing member extends downwardly from the outer edge leg'ii is overlapped V sitions the web E2 of the ZV-shaped reinforcing member 5,9 above the top of the balls 52 and 53 so that the latter are relieved of the'weight of the door. Similarly, the door track vand the brackets and rollers carried Vthereby do not bear any portion of the weight of the door. V

When the door is frictionally supported and is in the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be apparent that the instant invention provides means whereby the balls are maintainedin theV position shown in this ligure. This is accomplished by the forward stop 5t carriedV yby the Y track and the'rear stop 659Y carried by the door. The balls and their spacer are disposedbetween these stops so that shiftingof therballs and spacerv either forwardly or rearwardly is prevented. In order to move the door to its open position the track d2 is shifted forwardly and upwardly` Y so that the balls 52 and 53 Vare moved upward into engagement with the web t2 of the Zshaped reinforcing memberV 5S Vand Vthen upon vcontinued upward movement of the trackand the balls, the I door is raised so as .to transfer the weightrof `the door from vthe threshold supporting memberti to the balls. YMovement of the track 4.21 -is ob- -tained by means of a lever 'l0 pivoted at its lower y end, as indicated atv il, to a bracket qfastened tothe side sill reinforcing link 13 whose Vendsk 'are pivotally connected to 'an intermediate portion of the lever 'iii and to the. adjacent .end of `the track as indicated at'l and of the web '52- in spaced relationshipwith the Y downwardly extending flange til of a T-shaped reinforcing member 55 whose upstanding flange e@ is secured by means of the rivets el to the leg Sil of the Z-shaped 4reinforcing lrnenfiber 59 and to the panel 55. The stem 'e1 of the Y As `more 2 and 3 of the drawings,

reinforcing member V59 Aand the downwardly extending flange ll' of the 'lf-shaped reinforcing member V65 lie on opposi' Vsides of the track .d2 and web V62 cooperate to extend downwardly from the door reinforcing T-shaped '65 extends inwardly between the upper and lower horizontal legs 24 and 25 of the threshold supporting channel 2l. clearly `shown in Figs. V the downwardly lextending leg t3 of the zLshaped door `for the balls 5-2 :and y 5-9 are secured to and y to'provide for rictional 15.v During the Vmovement imparted to the track by mea-ns of theelever 1 andthe link 13, the

' wedges-shaped ends i? yof the members Mise--rv cured to the underside vof :the web ofthe track 552 engage the rollers d and -ride upwardly upjon the rollers, thereby lifting the track and the balls supported thereby upwardly. This movement cf the track and thegballs `iscontinued u-ntilthev i between .the Adoor and the frictional engagement threshold plate support is-broken and the Adoor supported upon the balls 52 andS. The door may then :readilybe moved toV its open "position upon the balls. parent that shifting of the balls and Vtinerball spacer is prevented by the stop member 5l on the track and the stop member G8 on the'door 'between which'tne balls and spacer are coniined. Y

During the .opening'-movement .of theVv door, Vthe stop 5B must passthestop li and 4the stop' tais 'V accordingly terminated `ablovfetneY stopy 5e;

:The channel-shaped threshold" plate V support lies entirelywithin the 'door opening. in order angle il and 'by :a i

this positionfit will lbe ape support of ithedoor 'when it is in open position an angle member 'iii extendn ing from the rear of the ldoor opening tothe front V stop is secured to the ,upstanding leg l ofthe side sill I3 in such position that the horizontal leg l1 of the angle member 16 is alined with and provides an extension of the lower leg 25 of the threshold support. l

By virtue of the instant invention, the door and lifting device can be maintained within the most critical tunnel clearance diagram so that the lift fixture is applicable to all railway house cars irrespective of their width. Y

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modiiications and changes be comprehended within this invention, which is to be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto. y

I claim:

l. A lifting device for frictionally supportedl sliding doors of railway cars comprising 'a plurality of brackets adapted to be secured to a railway car, rollers supported by said brackets, a track supported upon said rollers, operating means adapted to impart longitudinal movement to saidl track upon said rollers, members secured to said track and engageable with said rollers during longitudinal movement of said track toimpart upward movement thereto, and spaced anti-friction means carried by said track in spaced relationship to a door, said anti-friction means being movable upward by said track to engage lift said door and also longitudinally relative to said track and door to support said door during opening and closing movements.

2. A lifting device for frictionally supported sliding doors of railway cars comprising supporting means adapted to be secured to a railway car, a track supported upon said supporting means, operating means adapted to impart longitudinal movement to said track upon said supporting means, members secured to said track and engageable with said supporting means during lon-- gitudinal movement of said track to impart upward movement thereto, and spaced anti-friction means carried by said track in spaced relationship to a door, said anti-friction means being movable upward by said track to engage and lift said door and also longitudinally relative to said track and door to support said door during opening and closing movements.

3. A lifting device for frictionally supported sliding doors of railway cars comprising supporting means adapted to be secured to a railway car, a track supported upon said supporting means, operating means adapted to impart longitudinal movement to said track, members secured to said track and engageable with said supporting means during longitudinal movement of said track to impart upward movement thereto, and spaced anti-friction means carried by said track in spaced relationship to a door, said anti-friction means being movable upward by said track to engage and lift said door and also longitudinally relative to said track and door to support said door during opening and closing movements, the forward end of said track terminating approximately midway between the vertical edges of said door when said door is closed, and the rear end of said track terminating approximately midway between the vertical edges of said door when said door is open.

4. A lifting device for frictionally supported sliding doors of railway cars comprising supporting means adapted to be secured to a railway car, a track supported upon said supporting means, operating means adapted to impart longitudinal movement to said track upon said supporting means, members secured to said track and engageable with said supporting means during longitudinal movement of said track to impart upward movement thereto, spaced anti-friction means carried by said track in spaced relationship to a door, said anti-friction means being movable upward by said track to engage and lift said door and also longitudinally relative to said track and door to support said door during opening and closing movements, the forward end oi said track terminating approximately midway between the vertical edges of said door when said door is closed, and the terminating approximately midway between the vertical edges of said door when said door is open and means on said car adapted to frictionally support said door when said track and anti-friction means are lowered.

5. A lifting device for frictionally supported sliding doors of railway cars comprising supporting meansadapted to be secured to a railway cai, a track supported upon said supporting means, operating means adapted to impart longitudinal movement'to said track upon said supporting means, members secured to said track and engageable with said supporting means during longitudinal movement of said track to impart upward movement thereto, anti-friction means carried by said track in spaced relationship to a door, said anti-friction means being movable upward by said track to engage and lift said door and also longitudinally relative to said to said track and door to support track and door to support said door during opening and closing movements, a carriage maintaining said anti-friction means in spaced relation, front and rear stop extending upwardly rear stop members from said door, the the rear door stop vent displacing of said anti-friction means and carriage when said door is closed, thefront door stop member and the rear track stop member cooperating to prevent displacement of said antifriction means and carriage when said door is open.

from said track, front and for said carriage depending front track stop member and device for frictionally supported sliding doors of railway cars comprising a plurality of brackets adapted to be secured to a railway car, rollers supported by said brackets, a channel-shaped track having a web engaging said rollers and legs lying on opposite sides of said rollers, operating means adapted to Vimpart longitudinal movement to said track upon said rollers, members having wedge-shaped ends secured to the underside of said web adjacent to said rollers and engageable with said rollers during longitudinal movement of said track .to imsaid door during opening and closing movements.

7. A lifting device for frictionally supported sliding doors of railway cars comprising supporting means adapted to be secured to a railway car, a track supported upon said supporting means, operating means adapted to impart longitudinal movement to said track upon said supporting means, members secured to said track and engageable with said supporting means duri ing longitudinal movement of said track to imrear end of said track members for said carriage member cooperating to prepart upward movement thereto, anti-friction means carried by said track in spaced relationship to a door, a carriage maintaining said anti-frictionmeans inV spaced relation, said anti-friction means' beingl movable upward by saidtrack to engage and lift said door and also longitudinally relative to said track and-door to support said door during opening and closing movements, the forward lend of said track terminating approximately midway between the vertical edges of said door when saidv door is closed, and the v-rear end or said track terminating approximately midway between the vertical 'edges of said door when said door is open, stop members for said carriagey exy tending upward from said track adjacent to the ends thereof, and stop members for said carriage depending :from said door adjacent to the vertical edges thereof. Y

8. In va railway house car having a slidable door, a track for said door, means secured to said oar for supporting saidvtrack, anti-friction means on said track movable relative to said door and track for supporting said door during opening and closing movementsfa carriage rmaintain'- ing said anti-friction means inspaced relation, the 1iorward end of said track terminating ap-` proximately midwayV between the vertical edges of said door whensaid'door 1sV closed, andthe rear end of said track terminating approximately midwayv between the vertical edges of said door when said door is open, stop members for said carriage on and adjacent to the ends of said track, and stop members for pending from said door adjacentto the vertical edges thereo.

9.V A lifting device Yfor frictionally supported siiding'doors of railway cars having a threshold plate and threshold plate supporting means comprising supporting means adapted to befsecur'ed to a railway car, a track supported upon said supporting means, operating means adapted to impart longitudinal movement to members secured to said track and engageable withV lsaid supporting means during longitudinal movement of said track to impart upward movement' thereto, spaced anti-friction means carried-v fby said track in spaced Vrelationship to a door,`

said anti-friction means being movable upward by said track toY engage and lift said door and also `longitudinally relative to said track and door to support said door during opening and closing movements, the forward end of said track termiv movementV means, members said carriage de- Y said track, j

- door and also thereof.

nating approximately midway between the vertical edges of said door when said door is closed,`

and therear end of said track terminating approximately midway oisaid door when said door is open, said threshold plate supporting means engaging ally supporting said door when said track and anti-friction means are lowered,fsaid threshold plateY supporting means extending betwlflf1 and sealing the space lo. 1n a railway door, atrack` for said door, means secured to said car for supporting said track, spaced anti-friction means ony said track movable relative to said door and track `for supportingA said doorv during Yopening and closing movements, a carriage maintaining said anti-friction means iny said spaced-relation, stop members for said carriage carried by said track, and stop carriage depending from said the verticalV edges thereof;

11,. A lifting device for door adjacent to operating means adapted to impart longitudinal secured to said track and engageable with said supporting means during longitudinal movement of said track to impart upward movement means carried by said track in spaced relationship to a door, said anti-friction means being movable n thereto, spaced anti-friction upward by said track to engage and liftl said longitudinally relative to said track and door to support saiddoor during opening and closing movements, a carriage maintaining K said anti-friction means in said spaced relationship, stop membersfor said carriage on said track, and stop members for said carriage depending Yfrom said rdoor adjacent FRANK DITCHFIELD. 'Y

n 'REFERENCES CITED TheV following referenoesare-of record Vin the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Y i 1,635,926 1 Conrad Y 1 July 12, 1927 between the vertical edgesV and frictiony between said door and said car.

house car. having aslidableY members for said frictionally supported y sliding doors of railway cars comprisingsupporting means adapted to 4be securedv to a railway car,

, a Vtrack supported upon said supporting means,V

to said, track'upon said supportingVVV to the vertical edges 

